Georgia’s biggest newspaper calls for Joe Biden to drop out of race ‘immediately’

Just one day after New York Times urged President Joe Biden to leave the race, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC), Georgia’s largest newspaper, is now calling for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election “immediately.”

In a very worded op-ed published there, the AJC The editorial board called on Biden to withdraw as the Democratic nominee before November.

The newspaper’s editorial board emphasized the urgency of the request, stating, “Doing this will require an unprecedented and extensive series of legal and regulatory actions to get a successor to Biden named and placed on every state ballot. This is difficult and necessary work that must be done.” started right away.”

The call came after what many observers described as a poor debate performance by the incumbent when he faced former President Donald Trump on Thursday night in Atlanta, Georgia.

The board wrote that Biden “has shown a greater capacity to tell the truth than his opponent,” but added, “the unfortunate truth is that Biden must withdraw from the race, for the good of the nation he has served so well for half a century.”

“During a riveting 90-minute forum Thursday night, the president failed to present a competent and coherent vision for America’s future,” the editorial board said. “He failed to explain the most basic aspects of his platform. He failed to take credit for the significant achievements of his 3½ years in office.”

Context

Biden, 81, has struggled to shake off concerns about his age and mental acuity to serve four more years in office. Throughout the debate, Biden’s performance was marked by verbal abuse and a slightly strained voice. The president, who has stuttered for a long time, seemed to struggle more than usual with his delivery.

When asked about Biden’s condition during the debate, one staffer said: Newsweek that the president has fought colds.

The op-ed immediately says: “President Biden’s successor tried to derail his debate performance. Aides claimed he had a fever. Vice President Kamala Harris said the leader of the free world should be evaluated on the totality of his presidency, not one. Former President Barack Obama took to social media and said, ‘Bad debate tonight happened.’ This response is an insult to the American people.”

What We Know

At AJC The editorial board had praise as well as criticism for Biden in the op-ed. The newspaper acknowledged his achievements but said his age had become an important concern: “It was not a bad night; it was confirmation of the worst fears of some of Biden’s most ardent supporters – that after 36 years in the US Senate, eight more as vice president and a position in the White House, age has finally caught up.

The Council even drew parallels with George Washington’s decision not to seek a third term, quoting from his farewell address: “Every day the weight of the years that are growing reminds me that the shadow of retirement is as necessary for me as it will be. Welcome.”

The op-ed also described Trump as a significant threat to democracy, stating: “Trump has signaled what his second term will look like. News’ Sean Hannity in a town hall last year that he will become a dictator on day one of the presidency ( but only one day).

Newsweek emailed the Biden and Trump campaigns on Saturday seeking comment.

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At AJC The editorial has likely elicited a mixed reaction from Democratic Party officials and voters in Georgia, given the importance of the country as a battlefield in the recent elections.

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fired back at the newspaper at X after giving reasons why Trump should not be president, “With respect @ajc, please keep covering the news instead of trying to make it up and let the voters decide.”

Congresswoman Nikema Williams, a Democrat who represents Georgia’s Fifth District, also took to X, responding to the op-ed report, writing, “Biden had a bad debate, but he was a great President. Trump lied all night. And he was a bad President in 4 years, has 34 felony convictions & a racist with no moral compass – but @ajc is fine with him running?”

Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May. He is the first former president in US history to be criminally indicted and faces three more criminal charges while running for re-election.

What’s Next

“Democratic voters nominated Joe Biden. Joe Biden is the nominee,” Michael Tyler, communications director for the Biden campaign told reporters on Air Force One on Friday.

The Democratic National Committee is set to meet on August 19 to make the presidential nomination official. President Biden is scheduled to face former president Trump again on September 10 in a debate hosted by ABC News.